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Spring Sun & Staying Inspired

The pressures of running a business (mostly alone) full-time makes disconnecting, reflecting, & being creative pretty tough sometimes. I’m not complaining, because I LOVE my job & I consider myself extremely lucky, but there’s a work-your-ass-off mentality that comes with the territory.

Most of the time, that on-the-grind work ethic is necessary to keep the bills paid & the blog running.

The e-mails, phone calls, behind-the-scenes logistics, contract-signing, shoots, meetings, showroom appointments, etc. can get pretty monotonous, and it’s taken a toll on my ability to be creative.

I know I’m not alone in this. I think most of us get pretty wrapped up in the day-to-day bullshit we all have on our to-do lists. Right??

A couple of days ago, I took a day to step back from e-mails & logistics to get to the bottom of my creative block. I thought to myself: what is it that inspires me?

I quickly went to my Pinterest Quote board, as I usually do when I’m seeking inspiration. I had the urge to start writing down some of the quotes that stood out to me in a little journal I snagged from an event earlier in the day.

Then, I remembered: writing always inspires me. I feel most like myself when I’m alone, writing in a flow state, when I’m not thinking too much, and simply putting words down on paper.

I realized I haven’t been doing as much writing as I used to do on Hustle + Halcyon, even though the writing part of blogging is what drove me to this path in the first place. I’ve always enjoyed ( & been pretty good at ) connecting with other people through written words and stories, but my inability to get in the right mental space to write has discouraged me as of late.

I took my written list of my favorite quotes from Pinterest and labeled it Writing Prompts.

I’m making a vow to myself that, one day a week, I will go somewhere in Los Angeles that inspires me, whether its the beach/the mountains/a cafe on the corner, and write. It’s a mental spring cleaning of sorts.

Also, I went through my direct messages & emails from readers, and remembered just how much y’all inspire me.

I get a number of questions from readers wondering how I started blogging, what moving to Los Angeles from Texas is like, how I deal with problems like staying inspired & keeping everything together. Occasionally, I get questions about issues with fuck boys and how to keep your head up when social drama plagues daily life.

I’ll add those questions to my list of things to write about, too. So, if you have anything you’d like to hear about, don’t hesitate to send some questions my way!

On top of that, I’m going to make some time to meet with some of you in the coming months! I figure that a lot of my inspiration lies in y’all, so this will be so freakin’ fun. Coffee dates? I’m in.

So, what do y’all do to stay inspired? Are you allowing yourself to have creative space & time to flex that creativity? What makes you feel most like yourself?

I hope this post can serve as your reminder that inspiration is SO important! I hope all of you can find a way to disconnect, relax, & create ( whatever that means to you ). And, when you’re stuck ( like I have been lately ), I hope you can find a way to get yourself back on track. We’re always happiest when we’re inspired, right?

Moving on to the clothes: I’ve partnered with Urban Outfitters to share with y’all this extra-comfy child-of-the-coast look. My photographer, Haley, and I went out to Malibu for the day to snap some photos in this outfit.

Speaking of places in the Los Angeles area that inspire me… Malibu is on the freakin’ list. It’s so peaceful.

Y’all already know how much I love Urban Outfitters. They have everything you could ever need & it’s all so affordable. Right now, their spring & summer dress selection is killing it. I’m a sucker for throw-on-and-go dresses and rompers for warmer weather.

paytonsartain

omg P this is why I love you, I feel we are so alike! I’ve def been there with feeling uninspired. Trying to run a full time blogging gig while in grad school is a special form of hell. When I’m feeling uninspired, I also go through my Pinterest and reader emails! It reminds you of WHY you’re doing what you’re doing and not to get caught up in the petty bullshit in the midst of it all. Hey, if you ever feel like visiting Wisconsin, I’m always up for a coffee date! 😉

XO,
InspirationIndulgence.com
@InspirationIndulgence

paytonsartain

04 . 03 . 2017

UGH– it’s so hard. BUT, I wouldn’t want to me doing anything else, and that’s just the annoying part that goes with it! Thanks for taking the time to comment, beebus. Love always & if I find myself in Wisconsin, I’ll def contact you, lol! xx

I love your idea of finding somewhere to write once a week. I have had some serious writers block this month and I think it’s from being cooped up inside all the time! Love your outfit btw 😛 Urban seriously has the best stuff
xx

paytonsartain

I FEEL you on the inspo – lady. I realized that haven’t been writing as much on my blog, just short blurbs and photos, nothing so deep and I think that’s why people really connect with you or I – keeping it real and keeping it inspired.

This was so money:

I realized I haven’t been doing as much writing as I used to do on Hustle + Halcyon, even though the writing part of blogging is what drove me to this path in the first place. I’ve always enjoyed ( & been pretty good at ) connecting with other people through written words and stories, but my inability to get in the right mental space to write has discouraged me as of late.

For me, I need to prioritize it, and take time, and when the creativity strikes, I need to go for it, and DO.